Token Corresponding Society

Cumberland Mining Tokens In West Cumberland, the use of metal tokens for accounting for the movement of coal from the pits to the ships, which represented work done and avoided the need for the exchange of money during the process, dates from at least as early as 1670, when they are mentioned in a letter from Sir John Lowther to his Steward, Thomas Tickell, at Whitehaven. Similar tokens were in use well into the 19th Century. Coal was generally carried or led to the ships either by packhorse, eight packhorse loads amounting to a ton, or by cart, a cartload being half a ton requiring 4 tokens. In all the accounts, a load, sometimes called a 'burthen', was one eighth of a ton. A cartload would therefore represent, somewhat confusingly, four loads. Each leader would receive from the Clerk of the Tokens a quantity of Bank tokens, say forty tons worth (320) per horse employed, which would be accounted for weekly. As the leader took coal from the Pit Bank, he would pay for it using these Bank tokens, on the basis of one token per packhorse load taken, or four for each cartload. At the end of the week his deficit of Bank tokens would establish how much coal he had received, which should agree with the Bankman's account. The ship's Master would receive a quantity of Ship tokens from the Receiver in accordance with the estimated amount of coal needed to fill his hold, for the value of which he would be in debt to the Receiver, less the value of any tokens later returned unused. As the leaders delivered coals to the ships they would receive a Ship token for each packhorse load, or four for each cart. At the end of the week the leaders would have to produce a total of forty tons worth of tokens in total, and would be paid for their leading by the number of Ship tokens included, which should tally with the Bankman's account of Bank tokens they had paid him for coals received. The Ship tokens would then be replaced by an equal number of Bank tokens, to restore the position for the next week's leading. There are many types and varieties of tokens extant, used throughout the West Cumberland coalfield, of which some 110 are discussed and illustrated in a new publication, by TCS member Michael Finlay, as well as 32 other tokens for lime, iron and harbour use. Illustrations:
1.	Broughton Colliery Depicting typical pit-head winding gear this token was issued by John and Thomas Walker, circa 1823, when they opened their Broughton Colliery. They also worked pits at Dearham and Flimby, where the tokens would also probably be used.

2.	Camerton Colliery This token dates from the early 19th century and depicts a typical coal wagon of the period.

3.	Curwen Colliery, Workington The Curwens of Workington Hall issued these tokens, made at the Royal Mint, in 1725, for their Workington Colliery.

4.	Dearham Colliery This token, issued by Messrs Wood and Steel, trading as Wood & Co, depicts two stages in the movement of coal, by waggon to Maryport and thence by ship to its final market. (A high proportion of West Cumberland coal was exported to Ireland).

5.	Ewanrigg Colliery The Christian family, who came from the Isle of Man, also owned the Ewanrigg estate near Maryport, where they had extensive mining interests.

6.	Flimby Colliery The locomotive depicted is very similar to those produced locally at the Lowca Engine Works, and used to carry coal to Maryport on the newly built Maryport and Carlisle Railway in the early 1840s.

7.	Greysouthen Colliery Birkbeck & Fletcher (Birkbeck's name appears with differing spellings on other tokens) owned several pits at Greysouthen in the 1820s.

8.	LowHall Colliery, Hensingham This token depicts a horse ginn, used for winding the coal up from the pit bottom. The colliery was owned by Sir Wilfred Lawson of Brayton Hall in the late 18th century.

9.	Whitehaven Colliery The Lowther family of Whitehaven (later Earls of Lonsdale) were the main force behind the development of the West Cumberland coalfield. This token bears their dragon crest and was one of several designs used at Whitehaven.

10.	Oughterside Colliery This token was issued by Joseph Harris of Greysouthen. With the advent of the railway, his exports from his Outerside pits more than trebled between 1840 and 1846.

Useful References and Links: The Mining and Related Tokens of West Cumberland, by Michael Finlay, Plains Books, 2006. ISBN-13: 9781872477015 ISBN-10: 1872477011 Publication date: 1 Nov. 2006 Hardback, cloth, A4 format, pp i-viii, 1-196. 275 illustrations, mostly in full colour Available from: Michael Finlay, PO Box 212, Carlisle, CA5 6WA, or booksellers £50.00 + £5.00 Post & Pkg, (UK); Postage overseas by arrangement. http://www.michaelfinlay.com Michael Finlay September 2006

Cumberland Mining Tokens